Rodeio Restaurant by Isay Weinfeld, São Paulo – Brazil

January 14th, 2015 by retail design blog

Rodeio is a very traditional “churrascaria” (steakhouse) in São Paulo, Brazil. After 60 years’ operation, it opened its first branch in a high-rise building and sought a contemporary ambience. The Brazilian “churrasco”, meats on large skewers grilled over hot coals, has its roots in southern Brazil, as a typical dish among “vaqueiros”, as cowboys are called in the region. Rodeio’s interior design draws slight reference from those origins, seen on the ropes hanging on walls, on the cowhides used to upholster chairs and cover walls, and on the dark wood found on panels and the ceiling.

One enters the restaurant through the bar, on the ground floor of the building. An elevator takes up to the 8th floor, where the main hall is located. A long grill takes up the middle of the room and organizes the space around three areas, with a lower section at the center. Technically, the acoustic comfort may be regarded as one of the greatest challenges, as it is a single, ample room; as well as the exhaust of the smoke coming from the barbecue pits, as to keep the air always “clean”, free from any odor or grease.